Running Late
by boredoclover
Summary: Post Journey's End Donna is in a bit of trouble, but of course a certain Time Lord appears to make sure she's alright.


Donna walked along the empty London streets. It was late, and the area she was in wasn't the best. Pulling her handbag closer to her body she hurried onward, silently berating herself for getting distracted and being so late. Shaun would be at home worrying about her, but she couldn't call him and ask for a lift because her bloody phone had died. Still if she hurried she could make the next bus, after that she would be safe.

Hurrying on she turned down a long dark alleyway, void of even the dim glow from the streetlights, she couldn't see well at first. So she was halfway down the alley already before she realised she wasn't alone.

There were four men in the alley, and they were grinning at her as they stepped out to bar her way. Donna froze, then quickly turned around ready to run, only there was now another man directly behind her.

The men approached her, strolling casually and confidently whilst making sure they didn't leave room for her to run. Donna tried to think what to do, she had about twenty quid on her and her phone, but it was an old phone anyway, not important. Really it would be no great loss if they took her things.

She decided to talk, channelling the fear she felt into a loud angry tone, "Right you lot, I don't know what you think you're doing, but I've got a bus to catch."

"Oh she's fiery," one of the men said.

"It's probably because she's ginger."

"What's it to ya mate? You got a problem with ginger's?" she yelled angrily whilst backing into the wall.

"Nah I love em." The man replied, now only a metre or so away. He reached forward and grabbed her aggressively.

"Oi! Hands!" she yelled reflexively. Another man came up and pulled her handbag off her, she went to slap him, reflex again, but he grabbed her wrist. That was when she heard the noise. It was coming from around the corner, sounding like a cross between something from a sci-fi movie and a broken vacuum cleaner. The odd thing was she could've sworn she'd heard it before.

The noise stopped and almost immediately several people sprinted around the corner. They pointed guns at her and the men, and the man in front of the group of newcomers yelled "Police! Hands in the air!"

The men immediately stepped away from her and did as they were told. She looked at the police and noticed that none of them were in uniform. In fact they were all wearing normal clothes. The closest thing any of them had to uniform was the man who spoke, who appeared to be wearing an old army coat. 

He kept his gun pointed towards the group as his colleagues ran forward with handcuffs. Once all the men were being dealt with he came over to her. Speaking with an American accent he said "Hello miss, my name is Jack Harkness, are you ok?"

"Why do you call me miss? Do I look single?" Donna said shrilly.

Jack looked amused at her outburst, and she noticed that he was quite an attractive man. Maybe it wasn't so bad that he thought she was single... no don't even start thinking about that. Focusing, she started talking "Good thing you got here just now, they were about to steal my bag. Mind you joke would've been on them, nothing valuable in there anyway."

Jack's face clouded over for a minute, "Yeah, well, I'm glad we were able to help." He looked at her for a moment and seemed as if he was about to say more when one of the police called his name. "Excuse me for a moment," he said, before going to join his companion.

Donna stood awkwardly off to the side. She didn't really want to get closer to them again, so she looked towards the end of the alley where the police had come from. Standing there was a skinny man in a long brown coat, staring at her with an expression of what looked like sadness and conflict. Walking over to him she called "You alright there mate?"

"Oh yeah, yeah, fine." He said cheerfully.

"You with this lot then? Police too?"

"Yeah I'm with them, but I'm not police no." He looked distractedly over at them for a moment and Donna was about to ask what he was doing there when he looked at her sharply. "Are you alright though? They didn't hurt you did they? You're ok?" He seemed so anxious as he said it and looked at her with such concern, that she felt she had to reassure him.

"Nah I'm completely fine, right as rain." He still looked worried and she smiled at him, trying to prove she was fine.

He looked at her critically, then abruptly broke out in a smile. "Funny saying isn't that? 'Right as rain', how can rain be right? Well... I do know a few ways, but still on Earth – " he stopped speaking abruptly, Donna was beginning to wonder if the police had been on their way to take him to a loony bin.

"Maybe you should call someone, to come and get you?" he suggested.

"Yeah, good idea, but my phone's out of battery. Could I borrow yours?"

"I don't have one." He looked quite sad at being unable to help for a moment, then brightened as he said "Hold on, let me see your phone."

She held it out and he grabbed it from her and turned away, pulling something out of his pocket. "Oi!" she cried "Give that back."

"Just a second," her phone was out of her field of vision but she could hear some kind of buzzing noise from his hands. Then he turned back and passed her the phone, which was now switched on.

"What? How did you do that? It's at full battery now."

"Oh you know, portable charger..." he said vaguely. "So how about calling that boyfriend of yours to come pick you up? If he's any good he should be beside himself with worry."

She laughed, "Yeah he might be, eh? Thanks then mate."

"No problem," he smiled warmly at her. "Have a good night. Oh, and stay out of dark alleys, would you?"

"Yeah, good idea." She said offhandedly, already finding Shaun's number.

"No really, take care of yourself." He said, and the intensity in his voice made her turn back to him. "You have no idea how special you are." It was an odd thing to say, and the intensity in his voice was almost unnerving. Then he seemed to relax a little and said cheerily, "After all there's only one of you." He paused for a moment and looked at her with a conflicted expression before taking a step away towards the street. "Well look I'd better go. I've got things. But you know what... have a brilliant life."

"Uh thanks, are you ok though?" she was concerned, he seemed more eccentric than anything but he didn't seem like he should really wander the unsafe London streets alone.

"Oh yes I'm fine, right as rain," he grinned, "besides my ride is right around the corner."

"Oh ok then," she didn't want to hold him up. "But, listen, take care of yourself, ok?"

He grinned broadly, "Oh I will, don't worry about me."

"Ok then, goodnight." She said pressing the call button and holding the phone to her ear.

"Bye Donna!" he yelled from just around the corner.

Shaun picked up the phone then, "Donna?" she smiled at the worry in his voice, it felt good to have someone who cared

"You will not believe what's just happened to me," she cried into the phone.

She began to tell Shaun what had happened and he seemed partly panicked and partly relieved. He said he'd be there to pick her up soon, before hanging up to drive. By this time some police who were in actual uniforms had turned up and the men had all been put into proper police cars,. The plainclothes people all walked past her, back around the corner where the man in the coat had gone. Jack smiled at her warmly, and gave her a casual salute as he passed.

By now the alley was lit up with the blue and red lights on top of the police cars. Someone in uniform came up to her and asked her to give a statement, and with all the noise from the scene in front of her Donna didn't even notice the strange warping noise of the TARDIS as it disappeared once again.


End file.
